Loader switch structure for a paint ball gun

ABSTRACT

A loader switch structure for a paint ball gun includes a load tube and a ring. The load tube contains a plurality of retaining members, a flange, and a plurality of through holes above the flange to receive the retaining members. The ring is placed on the flange and contains a plurality of channels corresponding in position to the through holes. By turning the ring to enter or exit the retaining members of the load tube into or from the through holes for preventing waste of paint balls and improving safety. The load tube further comprises a plurality of locking units for precise positioning in an open status, ensuring a facilitated passage and preventing jammed paint balls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a loader switch structure for a paintball gun, and more particularly, to one controls the loader of a paintball into a barrel of the paint ball gun.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

A jungle surviving game has become a very popular leisure activity allover the world. Essentially, a paint ball gun is used as the weapon forshooting in the game. To minimize the danger present by the paint ballgun, a flask filled up with compressed air serves as the source of powerto supply air pressure for pushing against a piston to hit a striker andfire a paint ball. As illustrated in FIG. 11 of the accompanyingdrawings, a conventional paint ball gun (A) comprises an opening (A2)disposed at the top of a barrel (A1) of the paint ball gun (A). Twothreaded holes (A3) are provided on two sides of the opening (A2),respectively, and inserted with screws (A4) to retain protruding plates(B1) from a loader (B). An entrance (B2) is provided at the top of theloader (B) to receive insertion and to hold in position by a fixationend (C1) of a hopper (C). Accordingly, paint balls automatically fallinto the barrel (A1) in sequence to be fired.

However, paint balls are free fall objects that continuously fall intothe barrel without any resistance. Therefore, paint balls keep fallinginto the barrel (A1) until there is no paint ball left in the hopper (C)or if the hopper (C) is removed to empty it. As a result, either theresidual paint balls are wasted or there is the potential danger in casethat any residual paint ball not cleared may be misfired by accidentallytouching the trigger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a switch tothe loader of a paint ball gun to avoid waste of paint balls and improvesafety in the game.

To achieve the purpose, the present invention comprises a load tube anda ring. The load tube includes a plurality of retaining members, apassage inside, a flange outside, and a plurality of through holes abovethe flange to receive the retaining members. The ring is placed on theflange of the load tube and comprises a plurality of channelscorresponding in position to the through holes of the load tube to holdagainst the retaining members of the load tube.

Accordingly, the retaining members enter into or exit from the throughholes of the load tube by the channels when the ring is turned.

Each retaining member is a ball. Each channel is a slot having a deepercenter and becoming gradually shallower towards both ends.

The load tube further comprises a plurality of locking units. Eachlocking unit includes a threaded member, an elastic member and aretaining member. The load tube is provided with a plurality of threadedholes to secure the locking units. A locking hole is disposed at thecenter of each channel to secure the retaining member of each lockingunit. The elastic member of each locking unit is a spring and theretaining member of each locking unit a ball.

The present invention provides the following advantages:

1. Paint balls are stopped by the shortened passage of the load tube toavoid waste of paint balls.

2. The switch to control the fall of the paint balls improves safety.

3. The locking units of the load tube allow precise positioning in anopen status to make sure of a facilitated passage for preventing jammedpaint balls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a top cross sectional view of the first preferred embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top cross-sectional view showing an operation status of thefirst preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing that the first preferred embodimentof the present invention is applied to a paint ball gun and providedwith a hopper.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing that the first preferred embodimentof the present invention is applied to a paint ball gun and providedwith a power hopper.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an operation status of the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention applied to a paint ballgun and provided with a hopper.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an operation status of the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention applied to a paint ballgun and provided with a power hopper.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is a top cross-sectional view of the second preferred embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a top cross-sectional view showing an operation status of thesecond preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a load tube (1) and a ring (2).

The load tube (1) includes a plurality of retaining members (14). Apassage (11) is provided in the load tube (1) and a flange (12) isexternally provided at the lower section of the load tube (1). The loadtube (1) is provided with a plurality of through holes (13) above theflange (12) to receive insertion of their respective retaining members(14). Each retaining member (14) in this preferred embodiment is a ball.

The ring (2) is placed on the flange (12) of the load tube (1) andcomprises a plurality of channels (21) corresponding in position to thethrough holes (13) of the load tube (1). Each channel (21) is a slotmade deeper in the center and gradually shallower toward both sides.

Now referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively for a top view and anoperation status of the preferred embodiment, the retaining members (14)as illustrated in FIG. 2 are located on the deeper central area of theirrespective channels (21) of the ring (2) with all the retaining members(14) completely retreated in their corresponding through holes (13) ofthe load tube (1). In this status, a paint ball is free from thecontainment by the retaining members (14). After having turned the ring(2) as illustrated in FIG. 3, each retaining member (14) moves to theshallow end of the channel (21) of the ring (2), sticks out of thethrough hole (13), trespasses the passage (11), and blocks a paint ball(3). The passage (11) is now in a closed status.

To connect the load tube (1) to a paint ball gun (4) as illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, the flange (12) of the load tube (1) is flush with anopening (42) disposed at the top of a barrel (41) of the paint ball gun(4). A locking ring (5) is inserted to secure a hopper (6) or a powerhopper (7) to the passage (11) of the load tube (1). FIGS. 4 and 5 showthe status in relation to that illustrated in FIG. 2. The retainingmembers (14) retreat into the through holes (13) of the load tube (1) toopen up the passage (11) for the paint balls (3) in the hopper (6) orthe power hopper (7) to drop into the barrel (41) of the paint ball gun(4).

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 showing the status of that asillustrated in FIG. 3, the ring (2) is turned for each of the retainingmembers of the load tube (1) to stay on the shallow end of the channel(21), and the passage (11) is closed due to the reduction in size by theretaining members (14) to stop the paint balls (3) above the retainingmembers (14) from falling into the barrel (41). Few rounds of paint ballremaining in the passage (11) would be consumed as needed withoutwasting any extra paint ball.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated inFIG. 8, comprises a load tube (1A) and a ring (2A).

The load tube (1A) includes a plurality of retaining members (14A), apassage (11A) inside and a flange (12A) outside. The load tube (1A) isprovided with a plurality of through holes (13A) above the flange (12A)to accommodate the retaining members (14A). Each retaining member (14A)in this preferred embodiment is a ball. The load tube (1A) furthercomprises a plurality of locking units (15). Each locking unit (15)contains a threaded member (151), an elastic member (152), and aretaining member (153). The loader tube (1A) is provided with aplurality of threaded holes (16) to fasten the locking units (15). Theelastic member (152) is a spring, and the retaining member (153) is aball in this preferred embodiment.

The ring (2A) is placed on the flange (12A) of the load tube (1A) andcomprises a plurality of channels (21A) corresponding in position to thethrough holes (13A) of the load tube (1A). Each channel (21A) is a slotmade deeper at the center and gradually shallower towards both ends. Alocking hole (22) is disposed at the center of each channel (21A) to beretained by the respective locking member (15).

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the passage (11A) is open when the retainingmember (153) of each locking unit (15) is located into the respectivelocking hole (22) of the ring (2A). Each retaining member (14A) retreatsinto the respective through hole (13A) of the load tube (1A) to ensurethat the passage (11A) is well facilitated while providing propertension to hold the locking units (15) in position, preventing jammedpaint balls inside the load tube (1A) due to turning off the switch byaccident during the game.

FIG. 10 shows the passage (11A) in a closed status by turning the ring(2A) clockwise or counter-clockwise for the channels (21A) of the ring(2A) to push the retaining members (14A) out of the through holes (13A)to block up the passage (11A).

1. A loader switch structure for a paint ball gun comprising a load tubeand a ring; the load tube comprising a plurality of retaining members, aflange, and a plurality of through holes above the flange to receiveinsertion of the retaining members; the ring being placed on the flangeof the load tube and comprising a plurality of channels corresponding inposition to the through holes of the load tuber to hold against theretaining members of the load tube; the retaining members of the loadtube entering in and out of the through holes of the load tube by thechannels when the ring is turned.
 2. The loader switch structure for apaint ball gun of claim 1, wherein each of the retaining members is aball.
 3. The loader switch structure for a paint ball gun of claim 1,wherein each of the channels is a slot made deeper at the center andgradually shallower toward two sides.
 4. The loader switch structure fora paint ball gun of claim 1, wherein the load tube further comprises aplurality of locking units, each locking unit comprising a threadedmember, an elastic member, and a retaining member, the load tubecomprising a plurality of threaded holes to secure the locking units,each channel of the ring being provided with a locking hole at thecenter to receive a relative locking unit.
 5. The loader switchstructure for a paint ball gun of claim 4, wherein the elastic member ofeach locking unit is a spring.
 6. The loader switch structure for apaint ball gun of claim 4, wherein the retaining member of each lockingunit is a ball.